


Gone Away

by VeretianStarburst



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:00:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24305530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VeretianStarburst/pseuds/VeretianStarburst
Summary: Laurent visits Auguste’s grave.
Relationships: Auguste & Laurent (Captive Prince)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is the song name by Five Finger Death Punch.

Gravel crunched under boots as Laurent walked down the aisle, wind blowing through his hair. He stared forward, aware of the amount of graves he passed on either side of him. There was only one he was there to see.

Laurent gripped the strap of his shoulder bag tightly. In his other hand by his side was a bouquet of sunflowers. They had always been Auguste's favourite type of flower, and so Laurent would always bring them whenever he visited.

He saw the grave up ahead, and suddenly it felt like he was trying to walk with shoes made out of concrete.

People always said this would get easier with time, so why did it still hurt so much? Why was his heart aching like he had lost Auguste just yesterday?

Today marked six years.

Six whole years since he lost the most important person in his life. Six years since he watched the coffin being lowered, wishing he could jump in after it. Six years since his uncle had—

Laurent stopped in front of the grave and took a shaky breath. He leaned forward to brush away the fallen leaves that had landed on the white marble stone, then placed the flowers in the pot. He kept quiet, keeping one hand on the cold stone as he stared at the inscription on the headstone.

Auguste should have died from natural causes as an old man, surrounded by his wife and kids and grandkids. Not gutted in the street by a thug. His fingers itched to reach up to his shoulder and place it on the spot where his scar was. Laurent knew how close he was to dying that night with Auguste. Sometimes he wished he had. It would have spared him all of the pain that came afterwards.

He took a step back, his hand sliding off the grave as he did. His eyes moved slightly to the left, at the portrait beside the inscription, and suddenly it was hard to breathe as he was hit with memories.

Laurent could still remember the sound of Auguste's cheerful laugh and desperately wished he could be wrapped in his brother's arms one more time. He wanted to go back to staying up all night watching movies together, to take their weekly trip to the library where Auguste would study and Laurent would sit across from him with a fantasy book.

He would never be able to experience any of those things and so much more from his beloved brother ever again. It was a fact that had torn him apart many times throughout these last six years.

Laurent shut his eyes, forced himself to inhale through his nose and exhale out his mouth. He repeated that several times until he felt his heart start to calm down. His eyes slowly opened when he felt the first drops of rain and he stared up at the dark clouds in the sky.

After a moment, he looked back at the headstone and said, “There's this guy I met at work.” It was not uncommon for him to talk to Auguste— himself, especially when nobody else was around.

“His name is Damen. I think you two would have been best friends, even after you gave him empty threats for trying to date your little brother. He's always asking me out to lunch and he's very terrible at hiding his feelings for me. I think I might like him, too, but…” He exhaled. “I'm scared of being used again.”

Laurent stood there in the silence, as if waiting for a response that would obviously never come. “You were always good at giving me advice. I wish I could hear it now.”

Laurent kissed the palm of his hand and placed it on the grave next to the sunflowers.

“I love you, Auguste. I miss you so much,” he whispered into the quiet air, blinking back the tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm marking this as finished but I might add a chapter with backstory.
> 
> You can find me over on [tumblr](https://veretianstarburst.tumblr.com/)!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are basically snippets that I thought of while writing the previous chapter and I wanted to share them.

Auguste's heart had melted the day his baby brother was born.

He had vowed to be the best big brother he could be. He would protect Laurent from any harm and spoil him and smother him with hugs and kisses so he never forgot he was loved.

If he had to, Auguste would even die for Laurent.

-

Every year on Laurent's birthday, Auguste would reminisce the day Laurent was born.

He would talk about how cute Laurent looked with his chubby cheeks and soft blond hair and bright blue eyes. How Laurent was a quiet newborn that hardly cried that day. Auguste always admitted that he himself had cried from happiness.

One of Auguste's favourite memories was Laurent holding his finger in one tiny hand. It was a moment he would remember for the rest of his life.

-

Once a week, typically on Saturday, they would make a trip to their local library.

Auguste would sit at the table and start studying while Laurent spent a shockingly long amount of time trying to find a fantasy book to read before coming to sit across from him.

They would sit in comfortable silence. Sometimes Auguste would look up from his textbook to see Laurent's reaction to whatever was happening on the page he was reading. Auguste could never stop the smile from showing on his face, which only grew wider whenever Laurent caught him looking.

Afterwards, they would get something to eat from across the street. They were always served by the same old lady, who would give Laurent more food than they ordered, saying that he was way too small and should eat more.

-

Some nights Auguste would bring their blankets and pillows into the living room. They'd stay up late, eating snacks and watching movies. Laurent would try to stay awake until morning, but he was always the first one to fall asleep before the sun was up.

-

Because their uncle was often out of town for business, Auguste was Laurent's legal guardian. They lived together in a house Auguste bought using part of his share of inheritance.

Auguste taught Laurent the importance of saving money, that just because they were in possession of a large amount, they didn't need to waste it meaninglessly. And so Auguste was thrilled the day Laurent said he wanted to open his own bookstore.

Auguste was so proud of his little brother and could not wait to see the kind of man he'd grow up to be.

-

They were walking home after a long day at the library when it happened. The only thing running through Auguste's mind was that he had to protect Laurent.

The stabbing happened quick. Laurent must have been injured during the attack because he was kneeling beside Auguste with a hand clutched to his shoulder and tears streaming down his face. It was a look that he never wanted to see on his little brother's face.

He wanted to tell Laurent that everything would be okay, but it was too painful to talk. Instead he lifted one hand, the other pressed against his own chest over a wound.

Laurent held Auguste's finger, just as he had done the day he was born.

Auguste closed his eyes, not knowing he would never open them again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> brb crying


End file.
